LITTLE ROCK — A year ago when I participated in the Little Rock Marathon, I was coming off an 18-month period during which I took up running, lost 80 pounds and eventually got to the point where I could complete a 26.2-mile race.
The months of hard work paid off when I accomplished something that at one time had seemed unattainable, finishing in 4 hours, 42 minutes, 39 seconds.
My second Little Rock Marathon was a different experience altogether. I felt more pain and never quite hit my stride on a cold day. My family and friends weren’t there to greet me at the finish.
And my goal of 4:30 was never within reach. Just finishing was the best I could do Sunday.
I waited patiently in 30-degree weather with the other slower runners in the open corral area, wearing a lightweight pullover, tights and a lightweight, long sleeve running shirt. Cold weather might not be comfortable, but at least it wasn’t raining and the wind wasn’t a factor. Wind is the worst element. When you have to run into it, it takes a lot out of you.
The race was 17 minutes old when I got to the starting line. And even though I was determined to set an easy pace early, I wound up weaving my way around those who were walking and trying to get into a groove.
My 10-kilometer time was 1:05.01, not the greatest, but at least I wasn’t burning out by going too fast and tried to keep a steady pace. I managed to keep my focus as I moved through the first half of the race despite having a stomach cramp and a sore left knee. At the 10-mile mark, when the marathon and half-marathon course split, I resisted the temptation to follow the half-marathoners to finish early.
I was not going to cheat myself. I might not turn in the time I wanted, but I wasn’t going to walk, nor was I going to quit. I signed up for all 26.2 miles and was going to fight through it.
My time at the halfway mark was 2:19.02. It was going to take some effort to run the final half in 2:10 to meet my goal, but I was determined to carry on even with the course going uphill for the next several miles, even if my body was telling me to quit.
Nothing epitomized my day more than when I picked up an energy gel packet at the 16-mile mark and pulled a muscle in my shoulder trying to open it.
Knees, ankles, calves, shins, hamstrings, it’s understandable if you hurt those. But your shoulder? Come on.
I knew I was in trouble when the pacers passed me holding a sign that read 4:55.
The good part was that I was soon going downhill on Cedar Hill Road. By that point, I was less than 10 miles from the finish.
At the 20-mile mark with a time of 3:47.10, it was going to take a miracle to cover the final 6.2 miles in less than 45 minutes. At that point, topping last year’s mark and avoiding 5 hours seemed acceptable. Heading back and forth down Rebsamen Road and Riverfront Drive, all I could do was say to myself, “There’s not much farther to go.” I kept reminding myself I could finish the race even with a sore calf and sore back.
As I came up the hill on Cantrell at the 25-mile mark, I knew the end was in sight. If I wanted the over sized medal with the horseshoe and the word “lucky” across the front of it, I knew I had to run all the way through and not cheat myself, which I did.
The time wasn’t what I wanted, I was cold and sore , but I felt good about finishing, even if it was almost 30 minutes slower than last year (5:10.39) to place 1,490th among the 2,315 finishers.
Sometimes you don’t feel right out there, but the important thing is not cheating yourself.
Sports, Pages 16 on 03/04/2013